The concept of a “pop-up” restaurant – a temporary restaurant that operates out of a non-traditional location or perhaps out of a private home, on a transient schedule – is not new to those of us who live in Mexico.

Thanksgiving

The U.S. Thanksgiving celebration is a lively holiday in La Manzanilla.  If you are hankering for a traditional turkey feast make your reservations early!

License experience

Getting a Mexican driver’s license was the most fun I’ve had with this country’s bureaucracy in the 13 years I’ve dealt it. My California license expired in January and, rather than try to renew on line from Mexico, I decided it was time to cut the apron strings. Securing a driver’s license in the State of Jalisco proved to be not only less complicated than the CA DMV’s electronic red tape, but a great deal more entertaining, as well.

The eyes have it

Galeria La Manzanilla featured the paintings of Guillermo Gil Gonzales for its Meet the Artist Reception season finale on March 8. This is the third year the Ajijic-based artist has “closed the show,” so to speak.

Costalegre’s live music capital

When The TallBoys Band came to La Manzanilla last Sunday afternoon, I expected them to be good. With the previous night’s palapalooza performance of Scottie and Friends still ringing in my ears, though, I found it difficult to believe anyone could be appreciably better than that particular pick-up group of wandering minstrels. Scottie and each of his friends, after all, plays and sings and has a fan base on his respective home turf. Playing together, they kick ass. About three chords into The TallBoys’ opening song, however, it was obvious that they were about to kick some bigger, badder rock-and-roll butt than has been kicked here in recent memory. And that they did.

Anatomy of an event

Over 5,000 groups in 200 countries participated in the Valentine’s Day One Billion Rising movement to end violence against women. La Manzanilla was one of them. As near as I can tell, we were the only location along the Costalegre to host anything organized. Ours wasn’t quite the flash mob of other cities around the globe, but it was as close as La Manzanilla is likely to get. And it all coalesced within two weeks. Said co-organizer Stephanie Wunner, “This evening practically put itself together. All I did was hold on to the strings to keep them from getting tangled.”